Hi,
I'm not a mom, but my sister gave birth 3 weeks ago. I just can't get enough of the little guy. But I'm going to start to babysit him once in a while and... the last thing I want to do is have a reaction! Anyone with experience out there that can help me. I'm not the one drinking what's in the bottle, but I do have to manipulate it, clean etc... Is breast milk safe... for me? Any formula safe... for me? He's not allergic to milk, I am... which kind of makes weird questions... but I thought this could be the place to ask...

I don't think you'll have much to worry about, you might get a contact reaction if that but you'd have to ingest to get an anaphylaxis reaction so keep any cuts covered.

Babies can be messy. If you do feed him, you can get you can get waterproof pads from Walmart etc, to put across your lap/chest and place a recieving blanket (flannel) over top. This will keep the um, spit up, off you.

With luck, the baby won't take the bottle and your sister will be forced to nurse.

don't worry, it's not the only thing I do I do But when I'm alone with him because I am giving his mom and dad a break, and he wakes up hungry, I cannot just ignore him.

And I decided to ask the question because I was thinking that if I ever myself have a kid... well... feeding is a good part of it right? Brest milk is best based on all the books... but once out, it's still milk right? Wouldn't feel comfortable giving milk-based formula either... In this case it is my sister, so yes, I'm sure I could get away with it... but one day I may be faced with having to feed my own child which would bring up the same question except that I wouldn't have the choice of doing laudry or groceries instead...

which is why I was hoping to find a milk-allergic mom that could help... and not a parent of milk-allergic, which helps, but does not have the same experience.

I decided to ask the question because I was thinking that if I ever myself have a kid... well... feeding is a good part of it right? Breast milk is best based on all the books... but once out, it's still milk right? Wouldn't feel comfortable giving milk-based formula either... In this case it is my sister, so yes, I'm sure I could get away with it... but one day I may be faced with having to feed my own child which would bring up the same question except that I wouldn't have the choice of doing laudry or groceries instead...

which is why I was hoping to find a milk-allergic mom that could help... and not a parent of milk-allergic, which helps, but does not have the same experience.

I understand, and I hope some mom's do respond. I'll tell you that you can breast feed until the age of 2. That is what is being recommended. I trained dd to go from the breast to the sippy cup at 5 months (she wouldn't take the bottle). You can pump and pour it into a sippy cup. You wouldn't have to worry about being allergic to the breast milk if it's your own.

There are soy based formulas but not much has been studied about the long term effects of soy on infants so it is still recommended that milk allergic children (and presumably their mothers) use hydrolyzed milk formula first as it is often tolerated. ( the protein is broken down so the body might not recognize it). Soy based formula would be the next option.

Quote:

We would like to clarify Health Canada’s position on the use of soy-based formulas in healthy term infants by including sections from Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants, a joint statement from Health Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society and Dietitians of Canada, available at:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/infant-nourrisson/nut_infant_nourrisson_term-eng.php

Indication for use of a soy-based formula
Despite the wide use of soy protein-based formulas in Canada, indications for their use are limited. Appropriate uses include infants fed vegan diets and infants with galactosemia.

The use of soy protein-based formulas in the dietary management of infants with proven cow's milk allergy, or in the prevention of atopy, is controversial (Johnstone and Roghmann, 1993; Businco et al., 1992). For some infants, there is cross-reactivity between cow's milk protein-based and soy protein formulas (Businco et al., 1992). Evidence demonstrating a reduced prevalence of atopic diseases in high-risk infants fed soy protein-based formulas in the first 6 months of life is not convincing (Businco et al., 1992). It has been estimated that 30% to 40% of infants at risk for atopic disease will be sensitized to soy protein, especially in cases where the small bowel is damaged (Eastham et al., 1982). For infants at high risk of cow's milk protein allergy, the formula of first choice would be a whey- or casein-hydrolysate. Whey-hydrolysate formulas may be better tolerated because of their taste. Infants with documented allergy should receive formula with an extensively hydrolysed source of protein; currently these are casein-hydrolysate formulas. Soy protein-based formulas are inappropriate for either of these indications (Zeiger et al., 1989).

Continued use of soy-based formula until 2 years of age
Soy, rice and other vegetarian beverages, whether or not they are "fortified," are not appropriate alternatives to breast milk or infant formula or to pasteurized whole milk in the first two years. Up to 20% of infants in Canada use soy-based formulas, presumably because of a perceived or real allergy to cow's milk protein. All soy formulas sold in Canada are iron-fortified.

For vegan infants who are not breastfed, commercially prepared soy-based infant formula is recommended during the first 2 years of life to provide adequate nutrients and energy for growth and development.

I'm not milk allergic. My 2 1/2 year old is ana to milk (+ 5 other things.) We asked. She isn't nursing anymore, but would be around her brother who is nursing. We were concerned about spit up, leaking, etc. We were told that being allergic to cow's milk does not mean you'd be allergic to human milk, and that a human milk allergy is very very uncommon. HOWEVER, she could potentially have an issue with something that I ate that is one of her allergens (which isn't an issue b/c I don't eat things she's allergic to.) However, just being near spit up that contained breast milk with cow's milk in it most likely would be fine. And actually, even though she's now ana to milk, she never once had any sort of reaction to comsuming my breast milk which contained all sorts of things she's allergic to.

Formula would make me a little more nervous, since most is based on cow's milk. She is however around that (other people's babies) but I do treat it as cautiously as we do when she's around other kids drinking cow's milk (watching her & them like a hawk!)

Cow's milk & human milk are totally different. I'm sure that when she's the mom, there won't be any issue. Feeding the baby will most likely be fine - I'd just wash my hands really, really well & quickly clean up any spills (maybe even use gloves.)
http://allergy.hyperboards.com/index.ph ... c_id=11542

You wouldn't be allergic to human breast milk just because you are allergic to cow's milk (or goat's milk etc...). The proteins that make up human breast milk are different. But there is a chance that you would be allergic to your sister's breastmilk if she herself consumes dairy and those proteins can pass into the breast milk.

My daughter is allergic to milk, but she is not allergic to breastmilk so long as I am not drinking cow's milk. If I drink cow's milk, then it does appear to affect her. Once we diagnosed her allergy (she was quite ill with undiagnosed alleries) and I eliminated her allergens from my diet, we breast fed for 18 months with no problems. Now she's 19 months old and her diet is supplemented with Alimentum, which is a special formula for milk and soy allergic babies.

So with regards to feeding your nephew.... I don't think I would risk feeding a bottle of breastmilk (if you sister eats dairy) or milk-based formula if your allergies are severe. Babies are messy and so are their bottles. Maybe with gloves on?

With your own baby - you'll be fine! You will not be allergic to your own breastmilk and if you decide to give formula, you would give the kind that milk-allergic babies get, which is expensive but readily available. Don't worry about that!

_________________6 year old son - eczema and sensitive skin4 year old daughter - allergic to nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, mustard and eggs; has outgrown allergies to wheat and legumes (by age 2) and to dairy, soy (by age 3.5).

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